Optimizing isoconazole glycerosomes via QbD for enhanced topical antifungal therapy

Yogesh Kirar*, Vikash Gupta, Atul Kumar

Ravishankar College of Pharmacy, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Refer this article

Yogesh Kirar, Vikash Gupta, Atul Kumar, 2026. Optimizing isoconazole glycerosomes via QbD for enhanced topical antifungal therapy. Journal of medical pharmaceutical and allied sciences, V 15, I 3, Pages 80 – 86. Doi: https://doi.org/10.55522/jmpas.V15I3.7097.

ABSTRACT

Superficial fungal infections remain a major global health challenge, while the therapeutic performance of topical antifungal agents is often limited by poor skin penetration, inadequate drug retention, and suboptimal bioavailability. Isoconazole nitrate is a potent broad-spectrum imidazole antifungal that exhibits good antimicrobial efficacy but is limited by poor aqueous solubility and low permeation across the stratum corneum. In this study, we describe the Quality-by-Design (QbD)- guided development and optimization of isoconazole-loaded glycerosomes for improved dermal drug delivery. A systematic Quality by Design (QbD) approach was employed including Quality Target Product Profile (QTPP), risk assessment and Box-Behnken experimental design to optimize the phospholipid, cholesterol and glycerol levels to achieve the desired vesicle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential and drug entrapment efficiency. The optimized glycerosomes were prepared by thin-film hydration method followed by probe sonication and loaded into Carbopol-HPMC hydrogel for topical application. The optimized composition showed nanosized and homogenous vesicle distribution with high entrapment efficiency and excellent colloidal stability. Morphological and spectroscopic studies confirmed the spherical shape of vesicles and compatibility of drug with excipients while the hydrogel showed desirable rheological properties, homogeneity, and drug content.

Keywords:

Isoconazole nitrate, Quality by design, Antifungal, Box-behnken experimental design.

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